Metal wheel.



No. 730,591. FATENTED JUNE 9, 1903. S. L. ALLEN.

METAL WHEEL.

v urmonxov FILED JULY 11, moo. No MODEL. s SHEETS-,SHEET 1.

No. 730,591. i P ATENTBD JUNE 9, 1903.`

S. L. ALLEN.

METAL WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1900:

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE mams 1s-rms co. woraumo., wAsmNm'bN. n. c.

o. 730,591. I PATENTED TUNE 9, 1903.

S. L. ALLEN.

METAL WHEEL.

l APPLIUATION FILED JULY 11, 1900..

No MODEL. n SHEETS-SHEET a.

(u: mums virtus co. Fumo-umn.. wmucvcw. n. Q

UNiTED STATES Patented .Tune 9, 1903.

vPAT*ENT OFFICE.

METAL vill-IEEEV SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o.730,591, dated June 9, 1903.

Application led July 11, 1900.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that I, SAMUEL L. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Moorestown, State ofV New Jersey, have'in- Vented certainnew and useful Improvements in Metal Wheels, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. y

This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction ofmetal wheels,

and hasfor its principal object to simplify and cheapen the constructionand at the same time produce a wheel having great strength anddurability. y

In order that my invention may be fully understood by those skilled inthe art to which it appertains, I will proceed to describe it, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sideelevation of a wheel embodying my invention, l the central hub orbushing being shown in section. Y Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional viewtaken substantially on a radial line through the center of the hub andthrough a continuous portion of the rimV at the end of a spoke.' Fig. 3is an elevation,.on an enlarged scale, of the hub, one ofY thehub-plates being removed for the purpose of illustrating the innerportions ofthe spokes. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken about on theline 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the hub-plates,illustrating the grooves formed on their inner faces; and Fig. 6 is adetail sectional view taken about on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5. l

The rim A of the wheel consists of a strip of fiat sheet steel or ironbent to circular form in any well-known manner..

In the center ofthe rim A are punched a series of apertures ce,equidistant apart, correspondingin number to the number of spokesdesired in the wheel, the said apertures loeing punched in suchainanne'r as to forni the iianges a' on the under side of the rim aroundeach aperture. i

The spokes comprise the steel rods B, of a diameter corresponding to thediameter of the apertures o. at their outer ends, whiletheirintermediate portions are preferably tlattened out in the shapeillustrated in the drawings. Each pair of spokes is made of a single rodbent at its central portion in the inan- -ner illustrated most clearlyin Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Near the outer ends of each of vthe spokesV B is formed a shoulderc,.which is integral with the spoke,as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.These shoulders should be so located with respect to the ends of thespokes as to bear against the iianges a' when said spoke ends areinserted in the apertures a of the rim. After the ends of the spokes areinserted in the rim, as above described, they are upset or riveted andmade Hush with the outer surface of the rim, the curved or rounded edgeof the aperture affording a space into which the end of the spokespreads as it is upset or riveted.

The huh comprises two plates D D', which .may be forged orstarnped outof sheet metal.

The plates D D are each provided with radial wedge-shaped grooves d,corresponding in shape to the contour of the spoke, and are adapted toembrace a portion of the said spokes when the said two plates areclamped together.

t the'inner ends oi' each of the grooves d I provide a substantiallycircular groove d', concentric with the axis'of the wheel and merginginto andforining a continuation of `the grooves d. These grooves Zand d!have inclined or wedge-shaped walls, which bind against the sides of thespokes B.

-The centers of the plates D D. are provided with the apertures f,struck out in such a manner as to forni the flanges f', which when thetwo plates are clamped forni a central bore for the bushing G. Thisbushing G is provided with a ange g nearone end, which bears against theend of .the iiange j", while its other end is screw-threaded for thereception of a nut-g2. A central bore or aperture is provided throughthe bushing G for the passage of the wheel-axle.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have shown the lower plate D as having abevel-gear d2 formed integral therewith, also having the central sleeveor bushing formed integral with said section D. When this form is used,I forni on the inner face of the plate D' between the radial grooves dthe studs e, having their ends reduced and screw-threaded, as shown inFig. 2 of the drawings. The oppositely-disposed plate D is provided withapertures Which register with the studs e when both plates are placed inposition, the screw-threaded shanks extending through said apertures andadapted to receive the nuts e2, by means of which the two plates aresecurely held together.

Vhen it is not desired to use bevel-gear cl2, both of the plates D and Dare made alike and are clamped together by the stud-bolt e. (Shown indetail in Fig. 6 of the drawings.) Thus when the spokes are riveted inthe rim, as heretofore described, and the plates D D' are placed inposition around the inner portions of the'spokes and clamped together bymeans of the bolts e and nuts e2 and the bushing G the inclinedshoulders or side walls of the grooves d and d Will come in contact withand bind against the sides of the spokes B with a wedge effect, thegrooves d serving to draw the spokes toward the center of the wheel andagainst the bushing G and securely hold them in position.

The platesD and D are preferably made of sheet-steel struck up in thedesired shape, having the flanges f drawn thereon in the process oi'stamping.

The rim A is formed of a single strip of metal, as heretofore described,and after bending into a circular form the meeting edges overlap, asillustrated in Fig. l of the drawings.

The shape of the inner portions of the spokes may be varied or modifiedin form so long as the wedge feature is retained, and other changesmight be made in the details of my Wheel without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, isd l. In a metal wheel, the combination with the rimof spokes secured therein, each pair of spokes being composed of asingle rod bent to form an angle at its center, and having inclined ortapering edges formed thereon, a pair of hub-plates adapted to embracethe angularly-disposed and inner portions of the spokes, and havinginclined or wedge-shaped indentations formed therein in which the spokesrest, and means for clamping said plates together, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a metal wheel, the combination with the rim, of spokes formed inpairs each pair comprising a single rod secured at each end to the rimand having its central portion bent to form an angular intermediatesection, the innerl straight portions and angular1y-dis posed portionsof each spoke being attened out to form wedge-shaped edges on each side,a pair of hub-plates having wedge-shaped grooves or indentations adaptedto receive the inner portions of the spokes, and clamping-bolts forsecuring the two plates together, substantially as described.

3. In a metal wheel, the combination with the rim, of spokesv formed inpairs each pair comprising a single rod secured at each end to the rimand havingits centralportion bent to form an angular intermediatesection, the inner straight portions and angularly-disposed portion ofeach spoke being iiattened out to form wedge-shaped edges on each side,

va pair of hub-plates having wedge-shaped grooves or indentationsadapted to receive the inner portions of the spokes and having centralopenings formed therein, a sleeve or bushing'adapted to said opening andmeans for securing the same in position, substantially as described.

4f. The combination with the rim, of spokes formed in pairs each paircomprising a single rod secured at each end in the rim, having itscentral portion bent to form a curve substant-ially concentric to thecenter of the wheel, and having inclined or wedge-shaped edges formedthereon, a pair of hub-plates having radial grooves provided withinclined or wedge-shaped side Walls and having central apertures formedin said hub-plates and concentric grooves orindentations formed aroundsaid apertures having their outer walls inclined and adapted to bearagainst the curved portion of each pair of spokes, a bushing passingthrough the hub-apertures, and means for securing the parts together,substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of July, A.D. 1900.

SAMUEL L. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

LEWIS H. VAN DUsEN, JN0. T. Cnoss.

